Pineapple-Blackbean Couscous

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 can black beans (about 1 - 2 cups)
1/4 pineapple, diced
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp rice vinegar (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

What to do
Boil 1 cup water in medium sauce pan.
Add couscous and give a quick stir.
Cover and remove from heat.
Let sit covered for 5 minutes.
Add garlic powder.
Add beans.

Over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the pineapple and saute until carmelized (about 10 minutes). Stir frequently to avoid burning.
Remove and place in couscous along with any extra sauce in pan.
Gently mix and season with salt and pepper.
Let sit for an hour before serving or put in fridge for later use.
Delicious cold or at room temperature.

Goes well with Jerk Chicken!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

'Tis the season for colds, flus and germs in general! So there is no better time than now to share my recipe for chicken noodle soup. I promise it tastes better than anything you can get out of a can...and even when you are sick and your taste buds are seeminly on vacation, you will love this soup.

Ingredients
6 cups chicken stock (I prefer homemade but store bought will do)
500 grams broad egg noodles (more or less depending on how noodly you like it)
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
2 tsp oil
1 tsp medium strength curry powder
2-3 large carrots, chopped
1 leek, chopped (green and white parts only)
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups cooked chicken, pulled apart (save time and use a freshly precooked chicken from grocery store)

What to do

• In a large stock pot or pan, heat oil.
• Sautee onion, carrots, jalapeno and celery for about 4 minutes, until onions are translucent.
• Add curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.
• Add stock and bring to boil.
• Add pasta.
• Cook according to time on pasta package for al dente. Al dente is important as pasta will cook more when reheated.
• Add chicken and heat through.
• Serve.

If desired separate into individual containers and freeze. I find the egg noodles have a better consistency and less texture change when defrosted than other pastas.

Orzo "Risotto"

As promised here is "orzo" risotto. When I first considered this recipe, I was worried the orzo pasta would be too mushy but it comes out perfectly in this recipe, adapted from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express.

This recipe goes well with Spicy Grilled Shrimp Kabobs.

Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup of your favorite herb - cilantro, basil, chives etc
1 lb orzo
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp butter





What to do

1. Heat stock until simmering.
2. Heat oil and 2 tbsp butter in large saute pan or pot until foamy (medium heat).
3. Add herbs and saute for one minute.
4. Add orzo and cook and stir until orzo is translucent (3-5 minutes).
5. Stir in stock, one ladleful at a time, waiting for liquid to be absorbed by pasta before adding another ladle of stock.
6. Repeat until the pasta is al dente and liquid is mostly absorbed (8 minutes).
7. Add cheese and remaining butter. Stir until creamy. If needed add a little bit of extra stock. Enjoy!